From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals comes a breathtaking new saga brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.

Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met, but who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.

There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness the powers of her ancestral legacy, but it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, when things take an alarming turn. Forcing Daire to discover if Dace is the one guy she’s meant to be with…or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Check out our exclusive interview with the Author!

1) How did you get the idea for the novel?

I did a lot of research while writing both THE IMMORTALS and RILEY BLOOM series, and the inspiration for THE SOUL SEEKERS was born from there. During my reading, I kept coming across themes of Shamanism, and was so intrigued by this ancient practice I knew I wanted to explore those themes more. But since it didn’t fit within the world of THE IMMORTALS, I decided to shelve it until it came time to write my next series.

2) What kind of research did you have to do to bring this story to life on the page?

Research is one of my favorite parts of the process. Not only does it help to create a more authentic world for my books, but it also allows me to study the kind of subjects I’ve always been interested in. For THE SOUL SEEKERS series, the research is ongoing, but so far I’ve read a lot of books on Shamanism, mysticism, ancient spiritual practices, ancient myths and legends, Native American lore, etc. I also took a three-day “Introduction to Basic Shamanism” class, which was really fascinating. I had a few private healing sessions with a Shaman, and I’ve made a few trips to the beautiful state of New Mexico where I interviewed local teens about what it’s like to grow up there, as well as a Native American about life on the reservation where he lives.

3) When you start a new book, do you like to outline the entire story or fly by the seat of your pants? What about your characters? Do you figure them out entirely before you start writing or do they reveal themselves to you along the way?

I like to do a general outline, (I use the Beat Sheet from Blake Snyder’s amazingly useful book: SAVE THE CAT) listing all the major turning points along the way, which is sort of like a roadmap that leads me to my final destination, aka—The End. Though I still allow plenty of open-road so the journey can involve an alternate route if I chose. But that’s just me, lots of other writers like to pre-plan each and every scene, it takes a while to find what works best for you. The key is to try varying techniques and see which fits best.

4) How do you come up with the names for your characters?

I love unusual names and I collect them in a little something I like to call “My Unusual Names File” (I’m big on keeping files!). So every time I hear a new one, I add it to the collection, then when I start a new book, I search through the list and pick and choose among them.

5) Let’s talk about your main character, Daire. How did you think her up and is there any of you in her?

All of my books contain pieces of me, questions I’m wrestling with, and/or themes I’m eager to explore. I steal from my own life all the time! My motto is: If an experience didn’t kill me, I will find a way to write about it.

In a lot of ways Daire is aspirational for me. As the daughter of a Hollywood makeup artist she’s lived a very glamorous life, traveling the globe and moving from location to location. It’s a lifestyle that’s made her very brave, independent, sophisticated, and well traveled. But it’s also left her a bit world-weary, lonely, and vulnerable. And when she finds herself thrust into the role of a Seeker, she has to overcome all of those things and more in order to fulfill the destiny she was born for.About the Author:Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best selling, award-winning, author of FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOË, CRUEL SUMMER, FOREVER SUMMER (a LAGUNA COVE/CRUEL SUMMER 2-in-1), KEEPING SECRETS (a SAVING ZOË/FAKING 19 2-in-1), the IMMORTALS series including: EVERMORE, BLUE MOON, SHADOWLAND, DARK FLAME, NIGHT STAR, and EVERLASTING, the IMMORTALS spin-off, RILEY BLOOM series including RADIANCE, SHIMMER, DREAMLAND & WHISPER, with short stories appearing in the anthologies FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), KISSES FROM HELL, & DEAR BULLY. She is currently working on a new series for teens, SOUL SEEKERS, which debuted with FATED, and will be followed by ECHO, MYSTIC, & HORIZON in 2012/13. Visit her online at: www.AlysonNoel.com or visit the series website at: www.SoulSeekersSeries.com. Or on Facebook!**Please enter to win using the form on the left side bar. Comments left on the post, while appreciated, are not used as entry.Thanks!